


I Couldn't Protect You

by gsaiyn



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/F, sakuhana
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-01
Updated: 2016-07-01
Packaged: 2018-07-19 09:34:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7355560
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gsaiyn/pseuds/gsaiyn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hana feels remorse for what happened on the battlefield but it can't be changed now.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Couldn't Protect You

Hana couldn't stop thinking about that day. The more she thought about it, the faster and harder she threw herself and her sword at the practice dummy. Sakura learned how to wield a bow and brought herself into the thick of battle. Hana tried to convince her not to, but she almost broke a staff over Hana's head. Hana backed off and stayed by her liege's side to protect her. But as a samurai, she only had a short range of attack. A bow, on the other hand, could nail them across the battlefield. And it did just that. Hana saw the arrow coming too late. Sakura was aiming an arrow to another enemy when the enemy's arrow landed a bullseye. As sakura's retainer, she grabbed her body and ran her to the back of the battle field to a healer. It was no good. Sakura was taken out of the battle and to the healing tent. Hana was forced to keep fighting without knowing her outcome. 

Hana threw herself at the practice dummy as she had done the enemies; unparalleled rage and regret went into the strike. The dummy wasn't as easy to cut through as a fleshy enemy on the field was. The sword ricocheted off the dummy and hana fell to the ground with a loud thud. 

Hana was riddled with blood and sweat. Her body was exhausted and overwhelmed. Bruises were appearing over her arms and legs from throwing herself at the dummy. When she tried to stand up, she fell back to the ground with trembling legs. Should could crawl to find a healer but she had been training in seclusion with her thoughts to herself. Sakura, Subaki, Corrin, no one knew where she was. She stayed there on the ground. Eventually she had laid back and passed out under the sun. 

She was woken by a familiar voice screaming her name. "Hana! Please! I can't do anything, please! Hana, wake up!" Hana could feel her hand get hotter as it was grabbed and held tightly. It was brought up to a cold, wet face. The slight graze of string under her hand made her realize who was lying over her. "Hana," sakura's voice got weaker. 

Hana moved her hand to caress sakura's cheek and wipe away a tear. Hana winced at the pain in her muscles. Hearing sakura cry and the pain combined was enough to make Hana start crying. Her eyes weren't open, but the tears leaked out under her eyelids and streamed down her cheeks. "Sakura," she choked out. "I am s. . . So sorry. I. . . I couldn't p-protect you. . ." Her voice was distant but it was still clear. "For. . . give me." 

Sakura was wide eyed. Hana was still alive. She looked dead; Her skin was pale, her body was cold, and now she heard how weak her voice was. "Hana, you have to get up! Please!" Sakura started to cry harder. "I can't forgive you if you are dead!" 

Hana finally opened her eyes, the first thing she noticed being the eyepatch on sakura's right eye. It just made her feel worse about herself. Hana tried to prop herself up on her elbows but it was no use. Sakura caught Hana before she hit the ground for the second time. She brought Hana close to her chest and hugged her. "Please stop doing this to yourself," Sakura whispered into her ear. "I can't lose you, Hana. I can't. I love you." 

The last bit was almost inaudible to Hana. But she still heard it through the sobbing. Hana's voice was quiet, "How? I failed." 

Sakura pulled back, keeping her hands on hana's shoulders. They searched each other's eyes as if looking for an answer to a question that wasn't asked. Sakura didn't know how. Hana didn't understand why. They grew up together. They were best friends. They've always known each other. They grew and connected unlike anyone else in the army. They understood each other like nobody else. That was how, that was why. They knew.

Sakura let Hana wipe away tears from her face as she calmed down. "Hana, I beg of you. Forgive yourself. You have done nothing wrong. Not to me and not to the   
army." 

Hana hesitated to answer. "Okay, I will, I will." A moment of thought told her to say, "I love you, too." Hana was pulled into another tight hug from sakura.


End file.
